Incorporate population welfare in MBBS curricula

KARACHI (PPI) - Population in Pakistan will double to 300 million by 2020 at the high cost of the countrys mothers and children yet its MBBS curriculum remains devoid of population planning methods, said Dr. Navaid Ali. In a briefing to the local journalists, Dr. Navaid Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Green Star Social Marketing, the network working for the cause of mother and child healthcare, sought measures to update training program for medical graduates in the country. The senior doctor said mother and child care is also not taught to students at local medical colleges. We need to understand the linkage between family planning and mother - child care, he said. He maintained that non compliance to recommended three year interval between two deliveries leads to no less than 25000 maternal deaths in the country every year. This is besides severe instances and high rate of maternal morbidity coupled with 77 per 1000 infant mortality and 105 per 1000 under five deaths annually. The training of healthcare providers, he said is particularly focussed by Green Star which during past few years trained 25,000 lady health workers besides doctors. Keeping in view specific criterion, the organization also developed a network of 8,000 healthcare providers incluing doctors, based in both rural and urban sectors of the country. Dr. Ali observed that there was need to motivate and involve the senior doctors, including professor level medical teachers, as change can be brought about from top level. Referring to available studies that more than 70 percent population of the country seek medical support from private sector, that is commercial oriented and the remaining 30 percent visit public health centers that often are devoid of needed services, the doctor cum activist said his NGO has attempted to bridge the gap. We are not only providing training but also material support at highly negligible cost to meet the family planning needs of the masses, he said. Dr. Navaid Ali also referred to different schemes undertaken by the Green Star in collaboration with private as well as public sectors. On the occasion Dr Syed Abdul Qayoom and Dr. Samina Afzal also briefed the journalists about the services delivered by the NGO. 10th Intl Conference of Radiology concluded The 3-day Radiological Society of Pakistan organised 10th International Conference of Radiology themed as Excellence in Radiology Practice ended here Monday. The conference had a 2-day pre-conference workshop as well on November 5 and 6 at which a number of technical papers were presented. According to conference organisers, the quality of papers read and presented was of high quality. Papers were presented by eminent radiologists from abroad as well. In addition there were scientific posters prepared by residents from different institutions all over the country. All the delegates especially those from abroad highly appreciated the quality of papers and success of conference held in the present situation of country.